Cardiorespiratory Function in Sepsis

The cardiorespiratory function in sepsis, especially on oxygen transport and its usage, were studied using Swan-Ganz catheter. The data used in these studies were derived from multivariable data sets obtained by several physiologic studies in 10 control surgical patients with esophageal cancer and in 12 patients with the sepsis caused by abdominal disease. The septic patients more frequently had increased cardiac outputs and diminished total peripheral resistance. While the values of O2 delivery in septic patients were the same as those in control, O2 consumption and A-VDO2 were always lower in septic patients. Furthemore, although the values of delivery increased proportionally to cardiac outputs in sepsis, those of A-VDO2 decreased. In postoperative period, A-VDO2 and O2 consumption maintained at significantly lower level for a long time in septic patients. These results suggest that the impairment of oxygen uptake would cause the increased cardiac dynamic response to peripheral needs in sepsis. In spite of this compensating response, low O2 consumption levels in sepsis reveal that the compensation would not be enough for the peripheral demands. It is concluded that the monitoring of the cardiorespiratory functions, especially variables related to oxygen transport and its usage such as O2 consumption or A-VDO2, are important for the postoperative care of septic patients.